Four Pakistani-origin US players denied Indian visas for T20 World Cup

NEW DELHI: The United States cricket team has suffered a major setback after four Pakistani-origin players were denied Indian visas ahead of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup.

Those denied visas include USA’s star fast bowler Ali Khan, along with Shayan Jahangir, Mohammad Mohsin, and Eshan Adil.

Ali Khan is considered a key member of the USA bowling attack, and his absence could significantly impact the team’s performance.

The T20 World Cup will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, with Pakistan scheduled to play all of its matches in Sri Lanka under the tournament’s hybrid hosting model.

Several associate nations — including Italy, Oman, the UAE, Canada — have players of Pakistani descent or dual nationality. The cricket boards of these countries have formally approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) seeking interfence on the visa issue. However, no assurance has reportedly been received from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) so far.

The USA has been placed in Group A, alongside India, Pakistan, the Netherlands, and Namibia. The team is scheduled to begin its campaign against host nation India on February 7 at Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede Stadium.

The USA will then face Pakistan on February 10 at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo, followed by matches against the Netherlands on February 13 and Namibia on February 15 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Similarly, the UAE cricket board has written to the ICC regarding visa concerns for several Pakistan-born players, including Mohammad Waseem, Jawad Ullah, Mohammad Rohid, Khuzaima Tanveer, Haider Ali, Asif Khan, and Junaid Siddiqui.

Oman also has multiple Pakistan-born or Pakistan-origin players who may face visa difficulties, such as Fayyaz Butt, Hammad Mirza, Shah Faisal, Mohammad Nadeem, and Sufyan Mahmood.

The situation has raised concerns over the participation of associate nations and the smooth conduct of the tournament, with teams awaiting clarity from the ICC and Indian authorities.